Universal follow up compressor



y 1956 F. J. MUSACCHIA UNIVERSAL FOLLOW UP COMPRESSOR Filed Sept. 16, 1954 INVENTOR.

- 2,746,457 p UNIVERSAL FOLLOW UP COMPRESSOR Frank J. Musacchia, Queens, N. Y. Application September 16, 1954, Serial No. 456,405

4 Claims. (Cl. 129--30) This invention relates to compressors for filing cabinets or the like of the type commonly employed to retain the files within proper position within the file cabinet drawer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compressor for filing cabinets or the like which may be easily and readily mounted across the file. drawer without requiring any special construction at the sides or bottom of the filedrawer and which is retained in operative position by a novel spring action.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a compressor for file cabinets or the like which may be easily and readily mounted across the file cabinet drawer and as easily removed, leaving the drawer free of any obstruction-s when desired, for example when cleaning the drawer or placing new files or removing the same therefrom.

' It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compressor for file cabinets which may be easily locked on the drawer or removed therefrom with one hand, acting upon a centrally disposed spring member, this action effecting the longitudinal movement of clamping members disposed at opposite ends of the device.

Other objects of the present invent-ion are to provide a compressor for file cabinets or the like bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has aminimurn number of parts, is easy to use and efficien-t in operation. a

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing cabinet showing one of the drawers thereof in an open position with the invention in operative use thereon;

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the invention shown alone;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in a locked position across the top of the file drawer and showing in phantom the position of the moving parts when it is desired to shift the device along the drawer or remove the same therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the device shown mounted in locked position upon the upper edges of the file drawer;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, indicates generally a file cabinet provided with a plurality of file cabinet drawers 11 which may be opened and closed by means of the handles 12 upon release of the locking handles 13 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, the drawers 11 being slidable along the tracks 14 of any suitable construction.

In the practice of my invention, novel means are provided for retaining the files in proper vertical position (Fig. 2) within the drawer 11 and include a flat rectangu- United StatesPaten't O lar plate 16 adapted to fit downwardly between the vertical sides 16 of the file drawer, as shown in Fig. 4.

A pair of longitudinally aligned bearing members 17 and of U-shapedcross section are mounted at opposite ends of the bar 16 by means of depending, integrally formed flanges 18 and rivets 19, the bearing member 17 serving to slidably mount an operating member indicated generally at 20, substantially, as illustrated. The operating member 20 includes a central curved portion 21 of flat metal integrally formed at the opposite ends thereof with the straight portions 22 twisted through substantially ninety degrees and slidably received through the bearing member 17 with the plane of the central portion 21 substantially parallel to the bar 16. As shown in Fig. 4, the outer ends of the straight portions 22 are rolled under as at 23, surrounding the rolled upper edges 24 t of the drawer 11 and terminating in the depending vertical flanges 25 adapted to friction-ally engage the sides 16' when the central portion 21 is in its extreme displacement from the bar 16. A spring 26 positioned intermediate the center of the central portion 21 and the plate 16 retains the central portion 21 in its maximum displacement from the bar 16, and in so doing retains the flanges 25 in frictional contact with the sides 16 of the drawers 11, thus locking the device upon the drawer with the face of the bar 16 remote from spring 26 in frictional engagement with the files 15.

In order to adjust the compressor along the upper edges of the drawer 11, it is only necessary to squeeze the central portion 21 of the actuating member 20 and the bar 16, together, as shown in Fig. 3, against the action of spring 26, which action moves thefiat portions 22 outwardly through the bearing members 17 and the flanges 25 away from the sides 16 of the drawer. This movement also permits the easy and ready removal of the compressor for the purpose of cleaning the drawer and filling the same with files or removing the same. The pressing together of the central portion 21 of the actuating member 20 and the bar 16 also permits the device to be easily and readily mounted upon drawers of any type, eliminating the necessity of providing a special construction in the drawer at the sides thereof or at the bottom, as will be obvious. It will also be noted that the sides 16 of the drawers 11 may be constructed of any suitable material, for example ferrous or non-ferrous metal, wood, pressed wood, plastic or any other suitable material and that the device is equally applicable to con tainers of various sorts. The operating member 20 may also be formed of wire and in any other suitable shape, for example in the shape of a rod without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The bearing member 17 may also be struck outwardly from the bar 16, to be formed integral therewith. Also, the shape of the central portion 21 may be of various designs. The spring 26 inay be of the coil type shown, or flat, as will be apparent.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new .and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An article of the class described comprising a fiat mounting member adapted to fit downwardly between the opposite sides of a file cabinet drawer in a substantially vertical plane with one face thereof in abutment with the files or the like contained therewithin, a pair of longitudinally aligned bearing members mounted on the other face of said mount-ing member near the ends thereof, a substantially L-shaped clamp slidable longitudinally within each of said bearing members and having a depending outer portion adapted to frictionally engage the outer faces of the sides of the file drawer or the like upon inward movement of said clamps through said bearing members, each of said clamps having a flat substantially straight portion passing through said bearing members and having its plane disposed at substantially right angles to said mounting member, the inner end of each of said straight portions being integrally formed with a unitary arcuate flat member twisted through substantially'ninety degrees and having its plane substantially parallel to-said mounting member and being curved away from said mounting member, and spring means intermediate the central portion of said arcuate member and said mounting member, said spring means being adapted to maintain said arcuate member at the center thereof in a maximum displacement from said mounting member whereby to draw said straight portions inwardly through said bearing members and to retain said depending flanges in frictional engagement with the sides of the filing cabinet drawer or the like. I

2. An article according to claim 1, said spring means comprising a coil spring intermediate and connected at its opposite ends to said arcuate member and mountin member.

3. An article according to claim 2, each of said straight portions at'its outer end being integrally formed with a downwardly rolled portion adapted to surround the rolled upper edge of the filing cabinet drawer or the like and terminating in a depending, substantially vertical flange engaging the outer face of the filing cabinet drawer sides.

4. An article according to claim 3, each of said bearing members comprising a channel-shaped member of substantially U-shapcd cross section integrally formed with a depending flange, said straight portions being slidably received intermediate the sides of said channel shaped members, and fastening means securing said flanges to said mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,560 Dusenbury Mar. 15, 1887 496,214 Wilmot Apr. 25, 1893 2,198,004 Elliot Apr. 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 699,849 Great Britain Nov.- 18, 1953 

